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Pit bull ban hasn’t cut dog bites

Ontario’s five-year-old ban on pit bulls has not reduced the number of dog bites in the province by much, says a study by the Toronto Humane Society, which urges the government to review the law.

On Wednesday, the society released statistics on dog bites reported by the province’s local health integration networks and medical officers of health between 1999 and 2009.

There were 5,714 incidents in 2004, the year before the Liberal government rolled out breed-specific legislation to ban the sale and importation of pit bulls. Owners were required to get their pit bulls spayed or neutered, and must muzzle and leash them in public.

Despite the law, the Humane Society found the number of dog bites dropped slightly to between 5,350 and 5,500 in the last four years.

“It is clear that the new law has not worked. It has not reduced the number of dog bites and increased public safety. All it does is punishing one breed of dogs,” said society spokesman Ian McConachie.

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Dogs are not born violent but are made that way by irresponsible owners who train them to be aggressive or develop other behavioural problems, he added.

The law also targets any dog that bites, attacks or is a menace to public safety. Owners face fines of up to $10,000 and/or a jail term of up to six months.

In a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty Wednesday, the Humane Society asks the province to “take a second look at this act and make appropriate amendments to remove the breed specific provision” — a position the group has held since the law’s introduction.

“We need to educate owners about their breed and how to modify their behavioural issues through training,” said McConachie, adding that local municipalities could also introduce a knowledge and aptitude test for owners before issuing pet licences.

Brendan Crawley, a spokesman for the attorney general’s ministry, said the legislation ensures there are fewer opportunities for vicious attacks by a pit bull. “As time continues, we will be able to see the full effects of the legislative amendments and municipal enforcement efforts,” he said.

In 2009, Durham topped the dog bite list, recording 1,134 incidents, followed by Toronto (678), Hamilton (548), Waterloo (492) and York Region (416). The statistics did not record the breed of the dogs involved.

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